Roubo #1: The beginning, top.

Another Roubo build here. This is something that I really need. My old workbench that I built 30 years ago has gotten a bit rickety for hand planing I have found. I want something solid, so the only thing that moves when I plane a board is the plane. So I have begun to embark on a Roubo build. First step is the glue up.

Leveling it up.

I decided to go with poplar for most of the top. I have a cheap source of kiln dried poplar. I also think it is kind of soft for this application so for the front of the bench and the dog hole strip I am using ash. The bench will reside against a wall and most of the abuse will be on the front side where the wagon vise and leg vise will go. I am using Benchcrafted hardware for both the wagon vise and the leg vise.

Second step is to create a large rabbit for the wagon vise screw. This was a major excavation and a plunge router was employed. You are looking at the underside here.

Here it is finished.

The next step is bolt on the end cap. Here are the nut pockets I excavated for the bolts that holds the end cap.

Next up are the huge dovetails for the side to end cap joint.

Then to make the pins on the end cap. The end cap is red elm, I had a piece of this that was about the right size and I thought would be good for this application. This is still in progress and where I will end for tonight.

Great start! You’ll love the bench. I used Ash for the entire top on mine. It has worked out great, but it was a workout to flatten by hand! The popular might also keep the top from getting too slick. Mine turned out way too slick, so I am about to do some seasonal flattening and will rough it up a bit so boards won’t slide around so much.

Good luck on your build.

-- "I am hiring a realtor if and when the day comes a lion is on my roof."